28 June, 2017
Although the dust has barely settled on a leadership campaign that only looked like providing one outright victor, the task of turning around Ireland's deepest problems is still on the horizon for Varadkar and his latest decision to move a number of key ministers to different departments could make or break his future as Dail Eireann's top dog.
Varadkar, 38, was nominated as taoiseach (Prime Minister) after his predecessor Enda Kenny, who formally resigned on Monday, becoming the country's youngest leader.
Questions centre over whether he will keep his rival for the job, Simon Coveney, in a senior and high profile ministry and whether he will demote Simon Harris, Minister for Health and one of Mr Coveney's most prominent supporters.
Leo Varadkar will now take over from Enda Kenny, who previously served as the Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) until he announced his retirement in May.
In a move created to heal any divisions in his own party, Varadkar on Tuesday appointed the man he defeated, Simon Coveney, as deputy leader of Fine Gael.
On Wednesday afternoon, Varadkar will meet with President Michael D. Higgins to sign the papers that officially make him prime minister.
Mr Kenny's speech marked his long-awaited resignation as leader of the Republic's minority government after six years in the role.
Earlier in the day, the Irish parliament voted in favor of appointing Varadkar as the country's new head of government.
The Varadkar family in India celebrates.
Due to his sexuality and ethnic background, he is seen by many as a liberal leader of a country once perceived as socially conservative.
"I don't think we could get the former Taoiseach to stretch that far", he said. He will also be immediately saddled with Brexit negotiations, given that Ireland shares a major border with the UK.
However, he then quickly went on the attack, stressing that he feared the new Taoiseach "would drag Fine Gael to the left".
Taking office months after Ireland was forced to accept a humiliating global bailout, Kenny oversaw its turnaround to become Europe's fastest-growing economy.
Time will tell on how Leo Varadkar will run both the Fine Gael party and Ireland.
